Richard Cory
by IndianaParkWars
Summary: This is a short story I wrote based on the poem of the same name by Edward Arlington Robinson. I personally love it and it is 10 pages long if printed out. Rated T for: Some violent scenes, foul language, and disturbing content.


Richard Cory

I sat there on my bed staring at my elegant wallpaper 30 feet away and the coiled velvet draperies revealing the sun in my large room. My lustful eyes yearn for love and the melancholy bags under my eyes deplete my energy. I turn my head and see my puffy and soft comforter topped with a rigid-edged pillow; also fluffy and delicate. I bow my head staring at my red-velvet carpet rolled from my bed to the door with a diamond-encrusted handle. I reach my hand under the bed and pull out a teal box. It is the only way to go. My problems will all be solved with this object. I place it on my lap and gently pinch the metal clips. I flip the box open and touch the object. It is cold, but yet so warm. I hold it in my hands and stare blankly, ruminating the promise it grants.

Hi, my name is Richard Cory. Forget about the introduction, this is where the story starts. I'm clearly rich, money, money, money. I own practically half the entire town. People consider me richer than a king; I can't complain. I'm what people look up to, mainly because they're all lying on the street but also because I might have some spare change. I never give out money though; it's my money. Why should I give it away to some hobos? Curse the bread! All they want is the blessed meat. Showing off my wealth is becoming old. When I walk down the street, I am fancy from sole to crown. With my mirror like black shoes, argyle socks, and my long denim pants with kempt trouser cuffs. Also, I have a brown/black reversible belt and my ironed cotton shirt is topped with a sterile seersucker coat with a neatly folded collar. My hair is gelled down and straightened and my face is as pristine as a baby's skin.

I walk down the slummy, poor streets of stray people waiting for the first man to ask for change and to think of a good excuse. And just as usual, the same old smelly man comes up to me begging for change.

"Hello Mr. Cory! Do you have any change?"

"Hey old man. No, I left my wallet at home but maybe tomorrow." I lie as I walk away.

Immediately as I turn the corner, a blonde-haired woman stops me, yelling and pointing to a crowd. It was my secretary. She is wearing her usual gray, masculine-like suit that she is obligated to wear.

"What?" I scream over the chatter of the nearby crowd.

She takes a breath and continues talking. "You have to get up on that podium. Yesterday you promised you would talk to them!"

"Oh damn, I did." I sigh. "Fine, this better not take more than 10 minutes!"

I walk away from her and walk up onto the stage. There are around 50 screaming people holding sound recording devices. I tap the microphone making a noisy feedback sound. Everyone instantly quiets down. I start speaking monotonously and nonchalantly, "Hello, my name is Richard Cory." I pause and soak in the infamy. "As you all already know. I realize that I am here under the development of the golf course." I pause again. "As you all already know. And… there is nothing any of you can do about it." Everyone suddenly starts yelling again and I scan the crowd of furious protesters. "I'll…" I wait for the yelling to stop. "I'll take one interviewer at a time. I'll only choose a few. I have to be somewhere." I point to a random person in the crowd.

He puts the recorder up by my face. "Mr. Cory, I cannot believe you are doing this! You are tearing down several blocks for a country club! You are one of the only rich people in this town!"

I interrupt, "I am well aware of this. Did you come here to ask questions or tell me things I already knew and complain about things you can't change?" I point to someone else.

Another man starts talking, "Why did you chose to build a golf course there?"

I sigh again. "You see, I have money. I want a country club, I get one; regardless of the location."

A woman begins talking, "Don't you have any sympathy for the people's homes that you are tearing down?"

"You mean the waste-of-space trash that lay around in hobo camps that you call home?"

Everyone gasps and starts clicking their tongues at me. A beautiful woman from in the crowd steps on stage and looks at me with abhorrence. She slaps me across the face and says, "Pardon me, but you're a dick!"

I stare her in the eyes and admire her beauty. The slap across my face was like a milestone coming true. The hot sting of her palm is like a print of tenderness. She is like an angel. Her face is perfect, an ethereal miracle. She is just so gorgeous. After my long stare, I stutter bashful, garbled words. "Uh, I…I…I'm sorry."

"What?" She asks trying hard to still be angry with me.

"I'm sorry. Th-that was uncalled for and I'm apologizing." She starts to talk but I cut her off. "No, I'm calling this whole "country club" thing off. I was rude and unsympathetic." I walk to the microphone. "Hear that everyone? The houses are staying." I exhale. "I gotta go." I drop the microphone walking off of the stage.

On my way off stage, someone grabs my shoulder. I turn around and see the girl standing there. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to hurt or offend you. I just get defensive about those houses. I have a close friend living there."

"Oh, its ok. I didn't leave because you upset me. I felt… um… unworthy of being in your presence."

"Unworthy of being in my presence?" She asks, chuckling.

"Well, yeah. You're such a pretty woman and I'm a…" I try to think of a word. "…dick." I frown and look off to the side.

She gives me a look of pity and awe. "I'm sorry about that."

She starts to apologize but I stop her. "I was kidding, don't worry about it."

She scoffs, "You know Richard-"

I stop her again, "Call me Dick." We both smile and start laughing.

"Consider it done." We both laugh again. "So, as I was saying. Your impression on all of us is a greedy rich man and what you said on stage was cruel. But inside, you are a great person. I think I know what it feels like to be in your position. Clearly my hand-me-down clothes don't show it but I can understand what its like for everyone to look at you as a rich guy that has too much money that he can just hand out. I can understand that you must get grumpy sometimes. I like you."

"I think your clothes are fine. They clearly aren't $300 dollar pants, but they look nice on you."

"You have $300 dollar pants?" She says in wonder.

"Only like 50 pairs." I sarcastically respond.

"Oh my god! That is crazy!"

I nod and start to talk, "What's your name? I'd love to know it."

"Holly Hills."

"Holly Hills. A name that rolls right off the tongue. I love your name."

She smiles, "Thanks."

"So, Holly. Would you fancy a date with me right now?"

"Why I'd love to."

I smile boldly at her. "I am so glad you said yes." I chuckle. "Where shall I take you?" I ask Holly.

"Do you do anything natural? Like nothing involving formal etiquettes and fancy décor?"

"Frankly, no." I admit.

"How about we go for a walk in the park? No dress code, no maximum capacity, no VIP lists, all natural and environmental."

"That sounds great. I would love to."

"It's right up there." She points to these large, black gates 100 yards away.

A few minutes later, we arrive at the park and look at the large sign above our heads. "…Central Park." I read aloud. As I stare at the sign, Holly walks inside. I gasp. "Holly! Are you allowed to walk right inside like that? Where's the bouncer?" I worry.

Holly starts laughing hysterically. "Bouncer? Ha! That was a good one!" I stare at her confused. Her laughter starts to stop. "Were you serious?" I grin bashfully. We both smile and laugh. "Come on, you nut. Let's go."

I hold her had and we romantically walk through the park talking about our beliefs and thoughts on things. We both laugh and fool around. This was a fantastic first date. "Let's rest for a second." I say leading her over to a bench. We both sit and sigh in joy. "I never realized how beautiful nature is! For example, these tall trees adorning the brick walkway flowing so high in the sky sway their leaves in the wind like happy children cheering and playing. The birds fly around and take it easy like any other human here. And even the humans are great. Instead of sipping on Chardonnay and discussing politics like in my culture, the people here are playing fetch with their dogs or pushing babies in strollers or walking around like us."

Holly looks at me proudly. "I am so glad you found true happiness. Money doesn't buy happiness; it buys artificial happiness. The true happiness is in the people around you that you love."

"That was amazing, Holly. You're lips are so beautiful when you talk." I stare at her lips uninterruptedly and think about kissing her. She smiles and then grabs the back of my head pulling our faces together. My lips are interlocked with hers and I begin feeling love at its strongest point. Her lips are delicate like soft little flowers. We both release and I sigh soothingly. "That was amazing." I say.

"I know. You're a great kisser." She replies earnestly.

Anxious on what to say, I look down and straighten my hair trying to avoid eye contact. "Well, let's call it a night." I foolishly declare.

That wasn't the response she was looking for and it wasn't the response I wanted to say, but I already said it and there's no changing it. "Um, right. I'll go now then." She decides in disappointment hoping to stay with me longer.

She walks away, but I have to stop her. "Holly!" She turns around and looks at me. "How about we meet tomorrow at noon on the street where those homeless people live. I want to show you something from my culture."

She smirks, "I'd love that, Dick." Holly walks away from me and I stand there captivating her final appearance of the night.

As I walk back to my house, I see the street of homeless people that I was planning on destroying. That same old man walks up to me with his usual question. "Mr. Cory, it's good to see you again. Would you have any change on you now?"

I look at him and smile. "Well, I think I may have a coin on me." I pull out a small-valued coin. "I do!" I stick it on my thumb and fling it at him.

He becomes instantly happy and starting kowtowing me. "Thank you very much! Thank you!"

I look at the man on his knees. "You know, that coin is worth practically nothing! How about I give you some greens? They say greens are healthy for ya!" I pull a wad of cash from my pocket and throw it into his arms. Every other homeless person immediately looks up at me and becomes enkindled. "Don't worry! There's money for all of you!" I reach into my pocket and take out my bills and toss them into the air joyously. "Everyone! Everyone! Take it all! It's free!" I leave the crowd of blissful bums and continue on my way home.

The next morning, Holly and I wake up accordingly and set out to meet in the street like we said. I walk down the homeless road chirpy and excited to show Holly the diamond necklace that I got for her. The bum I made the happiest man in the world yesterday walks up to me talking and trying to be friendly as a nice gesture for what I did the previous day. "Mr. Cory, what have you got here?" He reaches for the necklace and accidentally knocks it to the ground shattering to pieces.

I stare at the devastated remains traumatized and strike the man across the face with a closed fist. Directly after the punch I hit him again. Then again and again. I repeatedly punch the man until he falls onto the floor and when he's on the floor, I continue hitting him and then spit on his body.

"You damned tramp! You are a worthless heap of rubbish slime! You are a lousy and clumsy piece of trash, good-for-nothing bum that can't do anything right! No wonder you are damned homeless because no sane person would ever hire you to do the slightest primitive job that a monkey couldn't handle!"

"Dick!" A high-pitched scream wails from the corner. Holly runs over to the scene and grabs the man's wrist and feels his throat. "You bastard! You killed him! You beat him to death with your own hands!" I gaze at what I have done and clench my stomach, feeling woozy. The homeless people all stare at me in awe, the old me; the malicious jerk I was and now am. "You killed my closest friend!" Holly screams. I immediately puke on the sidewalk. "Ron was my best friend! My parents died when I was five and he raised me all by himself to a point where he lost all of his money and became homeless! I have been working hard and relying on welfare to try and earn half of the money that I owed him! But it doesn't matter now, does it? It doesn't, because he is dead! I knew you didn't change! I knew you were just the same rude, unsympathetic, senseless, mean, sadistic, cruel, insensitive, selfish, avaricious, greedy and disturbing yuppie you are! You're all the same and kissing you was the biggest mistake of my life!" My eyes fill with tears, my mouth won't shut, my stomach won't allow anything to stay inside and I feel dead inside. I bawl my eyes out and runaway. Holly also does the same.

When I arrive at my house, I look around at all of the expensive things I have and start destroying it all. I knock lamps over, tear drapes down, smash windows and destroy everything in sight. I run upstairs and sit on my bed staring at everything in my room. What's the point of money? It does nothing for me. There is no sense in being here anymore. I grab the teal box from under my bed and place it on my lap. I open the box and pull out my pistol. It is all I can do for myself. I place the cold barrel against my temple making my body shudder and twitch. I close my eyes shut and squeeze tightly. Everything is black and my body lay against the bed inanimate and still. A small array of red dots lay next to my body on the white comforter and on the wall and floor beside me.

*Ding dong*. Holly's doorbell rings. She lay there on the couch crying and figuring it is me. She opens the door to see a familiar homeless man. He clears his throat and keeps his hand clenched tight. He begins talking softly and being sure to be gentle. "Um, I don't know if you remember me or not, but I am one of your friend Ron's buddies. I'm sorry for your loss. I came over here to give you something. When Dick, er Richard was coming to meet you, he had a present. But he dropped it and it broke. Here's what's left. I think you will really appreciate it." He hands Holly the biggest diamond off of the necklace.

She looks at it and smiles, "Thank you so much. I really appreciate this."

He lifts his hat to her and walks away.

Holly stares at the diamond and turns it over to see words engraved on the back. The words read:

_To Holly, the best thing that has ever happened in my life, _

_She was the only person I have ever fallen in love with and she showed me the true value of happiness. I hope this necklace will always remind you of me when we are apart._

_Richard "Dick" Cory_

Holly cries and laughs in joy as she reads the adorable message. She decides that going to Dick and apologizing will be the best thing to do. On her way to his house, she passes by the homeless street seeing large construction trucks and workers destroying buildings.

She sprints up to one of the workers and starts shaking him, "What are you doing?" She shouts angrily.

"Tearing down these buildings!" He replies.

"But Richard said he wasn't going to do this!" Holly cries.

"Yesterday after this incident here, he called us and said to tear down the buildings. He changed his mind."

"Why? This is all my fault! I can't believe he is actually going to build that stupid golf course!"

The worker laughs. "Golf course? You must be mistaken. Richard abandoned that golf course idea a while ago. At noon yesterday, he specifically called and told us he wanted a block full of new houses for all of the homeless people on this street."


End file.
